The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

I John 1:3-4, “…what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may

have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son

Jesus Christ.

4 And these things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.”

The one sure way to persuade anyone of anything is to have experienced it yourself. Saying, “I think this is what you need” will not cut it. Saying, “I’ve been where you are, but I’ve changed. I have a new life! You must experience this new life I have discovered! You will never regret it.”

Such an invitation is almost always to someone we like, admire, or love. Why is that true? It’s true because we quite naturally think first of our relatives and friends. This letter from John is to those he knows and loves. We love our friends and our joy is to see others’ lives filled with joy, because when their lives are joyous, our lives are joyous, too.

Above all, however, we love Christ Jesus! In chapter four of this same letter John says, “We love, because He first loved us.” Think about that! When we truly love others, it is because the LORD Jesus Christ has loved us. There is no “true” love outside of Him!

There are three separate and distinct words in Greek that translate as “love” in English. Only two of the three appear in the New Testament. As we come to know others, we often begin to like them increasingly. Sometimes, our feelings for them grow, and we even say that we “love” them. Yet, all of that “love” has its origin in the LORD Jesus Christ. If it doesn’t, it’s less than His “true and pure” love.

John writes that we all may know and embrace the richest of all love. With it we love Him; and through Him, we love and embrace all people. Love abolishes fear, and we become His witnessses, demonstrating His love and sharing it freely with others. It this true of you? Do you

love people as Christ did? If not, get closer to Him, and His love will flow through you to others.

May our blessed LORD so fill us all with His love that its overflow will smother whatever negative attitudes or feelings others might express!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

II Peter 1:2-4, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus

our Lord;

3seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness,

through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

4For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by

them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that

is in the world by lust.”

Have you ever done something so terribly wrong that you began to doubt whether the LORD

would ever forgive you? If you have, this Second Epistle of Peter will be a soothing relief to

your worries. Denial itself carries something of a negative stigma. When it pertains to the LORD Jesus Christ, it soars away beyond serious. Yet, for those of us who are believers, the denial of anything – even that of which we are not guilty — sends a punch to the pit of the stomach.

Three times Peter denied even knowing Jesus. Then he was “found out!” Would he ever recover from such devastating sin? By the grace and peace of God, he did! And so can we!

Dr. G. Campbell Morgan is said to have lost his faith for a number of years. Yet, when he returned to LORD, he studied only the Bible. Studying Galatians, he went on to write that “love is the essential attribute of God. Joy is the consciousness of love; peace is the confidence of love; longsuffering is the habit of love; gentleness is the activity of love; goodness is the quality of love; faith is the quantity of love; meekness is the tone of love; and self-control is the victory of love.”

While sin is always justifiably punishable, bear in mind that it is love –His Love—that resides

beneath the punishment. And no matter how far we may roam from His design for us, His

love always abounds for our redemption. Peter discovered that! And so can we! Give God the opportunity to demonstrate His grace in and for your life.

On an appropriate wall in the house hangs this poetical reminder:

A Mother’s Heart is a special place

Where children have a home;

It waits for them througout the years,

No matter where they roam.

God’s love is like that, only more so! Much, much, more so! If you’re one who has roamed,

rest assurred that the LORD is waiting and longing for your return. If God had a middle name, it would be “forgiveness.”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

1 Peter 1:6-7, “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary,

you have been distressed by various trials,

7that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though

tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus

Christ.”

Are you facing any serious trials? Quite honestly, I am. Some are more serious, of course, than others; but when we’re faced with difficulties of any kind, it’s it big to us. When our trials are compared with those of others, however, they often seem small and sometimes even insignificant.

Peter knew all about trials. Remember when he suffered rebuke from Jesus for slicing off that servant’s ear in the Garden of Gethsemane? Then he suffered more greatly when he denied knowing Jesus –three times! Yes, Peter knew all about distress. Yet here in the verses above,

he tells us to rejoice when we’re distressed. Why would he say that?

First of all, trials are only “for a little while.” They often seem like they’re forever, but they’re not. What they are is a “proof of your faith.” Sometimes we encounter trials we simply cannot believe are from the LORD. “Why, LORD,” we cry, “are you doing this to me?” Sometimes it’s not from the LORD, but a trial that He is allowing. Whichever is true, He is in control! So, don’t get distressed!

When the trials are all over, they will “be found to result in praise and glory and honor” of the LORD Jesus Christ. And remembering how He suffered for us, how could we not endure suffering for Him?

When I had troubles in earlier times in my life, I used to get really upset. Rose Marie would

start singing this little chorus –

Cheer up, you saints of God

There’s nothing to worry about;

Nothing to make you feel afraid,

Nothing to make you doubt.

Remember Jesus never fails,

So, why not trust Him and shout?

You’ll be sorry you worried at all

Tomorrow morning.

Things got right very quickly!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

James 2:18, “But someone may well say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’

Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

Some people take exception to the letter of James, saying that he emphasizes a works-

based salvation. If we read carefully the entirety of what he says, we are forced to reach the opposite conclusion.

The proof of faith is demonstrated in works. One commentator states, “To show faith to man, works in some form or other is needed: we are justified judicially by God…evidentially, by works.” It’s easy just to say, “I have faith!” How does one prove that? He proves it by demonstrating the works that faith has brought forth.

How do you know you’ve been called to the mission field? When you go and the LORD blesses your ministry by saving souls, the souls become the proof of His calling. How do you know the LORD has called you to the ministry? When He blesses those to whom you preach, you have proof of His calling.

The works that we seek as proofs of His calling may take time and vary as to the “fruit.” The man who pastors a small country church and the missionary who must learn a foreign language before he can share Christ with a native people, will not soon witness the “fruit.”

Time, therefore, becomes a factor in the proof of one’s “calling.” God is never in a hurry; so neither should we be. Still, faith persists and the indwelling Holy Spirit continues to bear witness to God’s calling and rewarding of that faith.

James’ Letter is often more quickly read than the faith of which he speaks is confirmed. Just

don’t get discouraged. Paul’s admonition fits well here: “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary” (Gal. 6:9). Stay in the Word! Be faithful in prayer! Grasp every opportunity to honor and glorify His Name! May the LORD bless you for your faithfulness!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Hebrews 1:3, “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…”

Summations of anything usually come at the conclusion of the paper or the speech. Here, however, Paul gives near the beginning of the letter a summation of the glory and nature and power of the LORD Jesus Christ. Written as it was to Jewish believers in Christ, the epistle needed early to expose and expound on these qualities.

There is no glory comparable to the glory of Jesus Christ. It is radiant throughout the entire

universe. From the glorious globe upon which we human beings reside to the furtherest item

at the rim of the universe, spectacular though it is, nothing compares with the glory of Jesus!

The exposure of His glory to those at His transfiguration is incomparable!

There is no glory comparable to the nature of Christ Jesus. The entirety of His life was lived totally and utterly separated from sin. Totally man, yet totally God, His examplary life is exalted above every generation as the unsurpassable standard by which all mankind should live and will be judged.

Nor is there any power, be it physical strength or mental expansion, that exceeds that of the LORD Jesus Christ. It was He who spoke the universe into being! “Let there be – and there was!” Paul writes “…all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1;16-17).

When scientists first began to fashion an atomic bomb, they were skeptical and fearful about whether atomic power could be harnessed. For if its power escaped from their control, the entire universe could be dissolved in an instant. They called Colossians 1:17 the “Colossian force,” praying that the power of Almighty God would guide and protect the universe from complete extinction.

Yet, rather than destroying the universe, as many scientists feared would happen, the LORD decimated the sin that raged throughout all humanity by yielding His own Life’s blood to remit the sins of those who would believe.

There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus;

No, not one; no, not one!

Do you have a friend in Jesus Christ? If not, why not? His glory and power are resident in His nature. And He will forgive all your sin and fill your life with love and glory! You have but to

repent (change your mind) and believe (trust in Him). When He comes to reside in your life,

His radiant beauty will attract others and you will become a witness of His saving grace.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

NOTE: The authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews has been disputed for generations.

Attached herewith is an argument in favor of Pauline authorship. Study it carefully.

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom